It’s not easy to always have strong faith.
In fact, we weren’t created to constantly feel that bond with our Creator. But
that’s the challenge. That’s the test of this life. Here are some tips on how I
help lessen the distance I sometimes feel between me & my beautiful God:

1. Know it’s Simply a Test

It’s nothing more, don’t over think it. We
were put on this earth to be tested. The whole purpose of this life is to be
put through trials & tribulations sent down from God to see how we’re going
to react. Are you gonna give up & let the doubt define your relationship
with God? Or are you gonna fight through it & prove your trust in the One
that created you? And low faith isn’t necessarily a bad sign. If He gave up on
you, He wouldn’t care to test you. And by feeling low on faith, that means you
had strong faith at one point; you’re just in a moment of weakness. This is
temporary.

2. Don’t Tell Yourself That You’ve Lost

Don’t convince yourself that it’s too late.
Some people underestimate the impact of the things you tell yourself. If you
say to yourself that you lost—you did. But you are in control of your own
thoughts, tell yourself you’re gonna push through this. Because He has blessed
you too much for you to not fight for this relationship with Him. It’s all
about will-power. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Cliché—but very, very
true.

3. Open His Book

One of the challenges in believing in God is
the fact that He doesn’t talk to you directly. There’s no face-to-face
interaction. Obviously, that’d defeat the purpose of ‘faith’ if He were to show
Himself. But that’s why He left us the Qur’an, His exact words. So why wouldn’t
you read the one physical, undeniable proof of His entire existence? Try
opening it to a random page. Just start reading and see what He wants to tell
you. You never know, the answer to your doubt might just appear right in front
of you.

4. Make A List Of Ways He Has Blessed You

A literal list, on paper (or Google Doc
like me). Write down all the things He has blessed your life with. From the
small to the big. Your health, the fact that you woke up this morning, your
car, your job, the fact you had a good day, your parents, your siblings, your
friends, your education, your computer, your phone, your full stomach, your
spouse, your sight, your bed, your house. Just keep writing. Then think about
those out there in the world that don’t have what you have. God blesses you
every single day, & you don’t even realize it.

5. Make A List Of Wrongs You Have
Committed

Now, make another list—but this time with
things you aren’t proud of (I recommend making sure nobody sees this one…it
should always stay between you & God). Write any sins you might’ve
committed. You yelled at your mom. You haven’t prayed in days. You did
something with the opposite sex. As uncomfortable as it is to openly tell
yourself you’ve sinned, just think deep & put it in writing for your eyes
to physically see. The reason you feel low on faith might just be because of
one of the things you wrote down. Maybe you’re subconsciously beating yourself
up because you know you did something that He doesn’t like. When you’re done,
start repenting. Ask Him for His forgiveness with the truest intentions. He’s
listening, & He is forgiving you as you’re asking of Him.

6. Go to Friday Prayer

Listen to the Khutba. You never know when
the message might hit right at your heart. Sometimes it might not, but even
just the surrounding of other Muslims praying with you might give you the
strength you needed. Praying side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, as a wall of
believers bowing down to their Creator. As a community of people that love
Him—asking for His guidance to the straight path that leads to Him. Join them.

7. Understand That God Loves You,
Unconditionally

God is the one that made you. He created
you, exactly as you are. Your existence itself is proof that He loves you; He
took time to craft you. Think about how forgiving He is. As many times as you
mess up, He’ll be there to forgive you the moment you ask for His forgiveness.
That’s the definition of unconditional love. Just think about that concept.

8. Stay Strong with Your 5 Prayers,
& Understand what you’re Saying

If you don’t understand what you’re
reciting during prayer—go read the translations. You can’t believe in words you
don’t understand. So when you pray, really believe what you’re saying. And even
if you don’t feel the prayer, still do it. By doing so, you’re proving to Him that
even though you don’t fully feel it, you’re still doing it because He asked you
to. Show Him your try at unconditional love. That just might be the proof
you’ve passed His test, and maybe the ticket for Him to place that connection
back in your heart.

9. Visualize Heaven & Eternity

Imagine what it would be like to make it to
paradise. How easy your life would be, and not for something temporary like
this life. Something that will last forever…where you’re never gonna die.
Sometimes it’s hard for us humans to comprehend the concept of eternity because
everything in this life has an end. But really think deep about the idea of
eternity. Eternity in heaven compared to eternity in hellfire.

10. Surround Yourself with Faithful
Friends

We humans are like sponges; we absorb
whoever we choose to surround ourselves with. Some people say that they don’t
lose their faith and don’t budge on their beliefs when surrounded by faithless
people. You might not become less faithful, but you definitely won’t get more
faithful. It also goes back to the idea of community in number 6—sometimes your
faith can get inspired just by seeing and hearing others talk about their
faith.

11. Fast for a Day

Sawm—another one of the five pillars,
another act of worship. You know what it’s like to fast during Ramadan; it’s an
automatic sense of closeness to God. So try it, even out of Ramadan. Fasting
clears your head, it reprioritizes everything in your life because you’re
ignoring and not giving into the urges of your body, rather feeding your mind
and soul instead.

12. Go Out In Nature

Go to the outskirts of town, to the open
fields. Out in nature. Watch a sunset. Watch a sunrise. Lie on the grass &
just watch the sky, dissect the clouds. Pray on the ground, bow your head onto
His earth. Watch the birds above. Breath in the fresh air. Feel the warmth of
the sun on your skin. Absorb the earth that God created for you to live in.
Feel His presence in His designs. Let that be the bridge to feeling His
existence. Try going on a road trip to a nature site. I had a completely new
level of love for God when I visited Utah. Then Oregon a year later. These
‘nature trips’ are now an annual thing for me. It’s become a need for me.

13. Sit At The Masjid Alone, &
Reflect On Your Purpose In This Life

Go in between the prayers when there’s
nobody there. Just sit and think. Think about God’s greatness. How forgiving He
is. How generous He is. Think about why you’re on this earth. Essentially, He
put us here temporarily to test us & see if we’re worthy of making it to
His eternal heaven. Remind yourself of that. Feel the beauty in sitting in a
place where thousands of Muslims have gotten their prayers answered. Now ask
for yours.

14. Do Good Deeds

Ask how the cashier at the store is doing. Smile
at a stranger. Help an elderly woman carry her grocery bags. Volunteer at an
animal shelter. Help the poor, give them your used clothes. Try joining an
organization that feeds the homeless. Don’t underestimate the power of helping
others. When have you ever felt bad for doing something good for someone else?
Follow the steps of our Prophet (pbuh), he dedicated his life to helping
others.

15. Read His 99 Names

I feel like He gave us this list of names
to help us understand how He can help you when you need it. When you lose
faith—The Restorer, The Inspirer of Faith. When you don’t feel safe—The
Guardian. When you don’t feel understood—The All-Comprehending. When you feel
it’s too late—The Most Forgiving, The Most Merciful. Read them, understand
them. It’ll help you understand His role in your life, in this life.

16. Start A New Chapter In Your Life,
Change Your Daily Routine

Wake up tomorrow & tell yourself,
“today is the beginning of a new chapter in my life,” then ask God to guide
your new life to the path of His liking. Then start doing things differently.
Change your daily routine. Start taking a different route to school or work.
Try a new restaurant. Get away from things that make you unhappy. If you don’t
like your job, find one that you do. Think differently, put yourself if other
people’s shoes—imagine your life as the janitor at your work. Just do things
differently from your last chapter. Sometimes people can confuse a weakening of
faith with unhappiness. Monotony can be a burden so change it up, it’s a new
you.

17. Forgive your Past & Those who’ve
Wronged You

Don’t let any ill-feelings sit in your
chest. Let go of any wrongs you’ve done, once you’ve asked for forgiveness from
Him—the matter is done, don’t let it even be a thought. If someone has wronged
you, reconcile, and forgive them. It could be your friend, your co-worker, even
your parent. Everyone makes mistakes, try to understand them, and let go of
that resentment you hold for them. This a new chapter in your life, these are
all new relationships.

18. Listen to Different Qur’an Styles

We’ve been blessed to have intonation
(similar to singing) of the Qur’an as a part of our religion. For me, there’s
nothing like hearing the style of Ahmed Al-Ajmi. Even when I don’t fully
understand what’s being said, I feel the connection to God just by the melody.
There about 9 main melody styles called “Maqamat.” Each having a unique
range of notes that portray all different kinds of emotions. Listen to the
difference between the Azaan in Maqam Hijaz and Maqam Kurdi.
There’s one called Maqam Bayyati that brings me to tears, every time. It
hits my heart and I can’t hold back the tears from simply feeling God’s words,
even if I don’t know what’s said.

19. Learn more about the religion

Read up on strong Hadith & Sunnah of
the Prophet (pbuh). Learn about Islamic history. Stories of the prophets. Learn
from their actions and words. Our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is supposed to be our
guide to what a good Muslim is, follow him.

20. The most important one—Talk to Him

I can’t stress this enough. Would you be a
relationship with someone you never talk to? No. So how do you expect to have a
relationship with God when you never talk to Him? Yes, prayer is key, but your
Dua’ is where your personal relationship with God lives. After prayer, just
talk to Him. Tell Him what’s on your mind. Tell Him you’re frustrated at home.
You’re unhappy with school. Give thanks for His blessings. Ask for forgiveness
for your wrongs. Tell Him you’re sorry. Tell Him you’re working on being a better
Muslim. Talk as if He’s standing right in front of you, essentially, He is.
He’s always listening. Even out of prayer, when you feel frustrated
anywhere—close your eyes & make a quick prayer directly asking Him to help
you. He’s always listening. Make God the centre of your life. Sustain yourself
through His strength.

I’ve been waiting so long to write this for
y’all. I’ve gotten countless messages asking me how I personally keep my faith
up. I’m so thankful that God gave me the platform to share with fellow Muslims.
I truly hope this helps you find the love for Him that I have found.